Death: Then stood in the sky.

The two went back and forth for almost ten minutes before Aoji finally managed to deal with Matsumoto Rangiku.

Actually, Matsumoto Rangiku didn't want to leave yet, but she felt she needed to change her clothes.

After Rangiku left, Seiji pushed open the door and went inside.

Nilu was still fast asleep, sleeping soundly, as if even if the apartment collapsed, it wouldn't budge.

That's good. At least I don't have to worry about Zennosuke Kurumatani dying one day.

After putting Nilu back on her little bed, the silly girl clung tightly to Qing Si and wouldn't let go until Qing Si rolled up his clothes and stuffed them into her arms, only then was he free.

Pinching Nel's chubby little face, Aoji took out a box from his pocket. He had almost been touched by Matsumoto Rangiku, but luckily he was more skilled and struck first, seizing the other woman's weakness.

hum-

Sensing Seiji's gaze, the previously dormant Hogyoku began to stir again, bursting forth with a faint light.

It is yearning.

It is waiting.

And Aoji is also looking forward to it.

But we need to go somewhere else.

Glancing at the still-sleeping Nel, Seiji calmly opened the window and disappeared into the darkness.

Chapter 57 The Complete Hogyoku

To leap.

They jumped off a building that was 100 meters high.

The wind howled in his ears. Just as he was about to wash his face on the ground, Qing Si stepped into the air and reappeared on a building a hundred meters away.

This is an abandoned construction site. Under the moonlight, steel bars stand tall, and the unpainted walls are pitted and uneven from the rain.

But at this moment, it's perfect for avoiding attention.

First, they cut off the building's power.

Although it has been abandoned, some monitoring is still in operation. Even though most of it has been scrapped, a small portion is still being implemented.

It's always better to be careful than to make a big mistake.

Humans can't see him, that's true, but Death can.

Rumble.

The sky began to flash and thunder again.

Heavy rain is coming.

Aoshi took out the box that sealed the Hōgyoku and held it up in front of him.

hum-

Sensing his gaze, the Hogyoku throbbed once more, emitting a faint sound that could be clearly heard.

The seal began to crumble once again.

Even with the naked eye, Aoshi could clearly see the box collapsing illogically. The many seals that had been placed on it were utterly ineffective in the face of the Hogyoku, a gemstone with superdimensional power.

"That won't do."

Aoshi couldn't help but frown.

This box not only seals the Hogyoku, but also protects it, preventing Aizen from detecting the Hogyoku's spiritual pressure and pinpointing its location.

The problem now is that once the seal is completely broken, the spiritual pressure of the Hōgyoku will leak out. If the Hōgyoku is not broken, there is no way to hold it in one's hand.

The situation is a dilemma.

Aoshi was having a bit of a headache.

"Ok?"

Just then, the Hōgyoku, which was highly active, suddenly fell silent.

Qing Si looked at it in surprise.

next second.

Layers of ripples began to spread.

The spiritual particles in the air transformed into visible light, which was then forcibly restrained by a higher level of power.

Spiritual particles are flowing.

Spiritual particles are being formed.

Spiritual particles are condensing.

"This is... a barrier?"

After observing for a moment, Aoshi's gaze immediately fell on the Hogyoku: "I see. So you responded to me because I wanted you to do this?"

In addition to prompting the host to evolve, the Hogyoku also possesses the ability to grant wishes.

The logic of fulfilling a wish is that you must have the ability to make that wish come true.

"The strength is quite good, but it focuses more on sealing spiritual pressure." After placing his palm on the barrier and feeling its effect, Aoshi felt relieved.

Now we don't have to worry about being exposed.

"So, what's next—"

"Bōgyoku".

"Let me see your true colors."

The words fell.

As if receiving a supreme command, the dormant Hogyoku became active again, and the blue-purple light it emitted pierced through the countless layers of seals reinforced by the Goryu Iron House in an instant.

Even the box specially made by Kisuke Urahara completely disintegrated in an instant, turning into an atomic-level structure and returning to the world.

The light is distorted.

No, it's not just light.

Even space itself is distorted.

Looking directly at the Hōgyoku suspended in mid-air, Seiji could even feel an immense gravitational force emanating from it.

call out!

The moment it was freed, the Hōgyoku transformed into a stream of light and flew over impatiently.

With a snap.

Aoji held the Hōgyoku in his palm and held it up in front of his eyes, where he could clearly see the marks inside.

Unlike the Hōgyoku that he had fused with, this Hōgyoku had no cracks that could be seen by the naked eye, making it a masterpiece.

"Aren't you already impatient?"

"me too."

Feeling a lingering weakness deep within his body, Aoshi threw off his shirt, revealing his muscular upper body.

Without any hesitation, he pressed the Hōgyoku against his chest.

Synthesize, start!

Hōgyoku collides with Hōgyoku.

One was full of cracks and flaws, while the other was flawless.

But similarly, they did not resist at all and actively merged into one.

My body felt like it was melting.

But this is a misconception.

Aoji lowered his head and, amidst the raging spiritual pressure, saw clearly that it was the Hōgyoku that was melting.

They are decomposing.

They are reuniting.

They are joyfully and proactively integrating into their own bodies in a higher and more perfect posture.

The spiritual pressure was increasing at an alarming rate, far exceeding the quality and quantity of a normal Grim Reaper.

My heart started beating rapidly, changing from a slow beat to a rollercoaster-like pace.

Until a certain moment.

The Hogyoku actively adjusted its frequency to match that of Aoji, as if it had become a second heart.

Then, silence slowly returned.

Aoshi looked at the glass covered in dust and dirt.

On his chest, a brand new Hōgyoku was fitted there.

There are no cracks.

There is no damage.

Everything was just right, as if it were meant to be.

The faint blue-purple lines in the center of his chest resembled blood vessels, connecting the two sides and constantly enhancing Aotoshi's abilities.

And, evolution!

make a fist.

A shockwave suddenly appeared in the air, and a vacuum zone was created by blasting open the turbulent flow of spiritual particles in front of us.

It's unbelievable that such a simple action could cause such enormous damage!

happy!

That felt so good!

The feeling of weakness in the body almost completely disappeared, and the death that had been chasing after him like a bone-deep affliction was also gone!

The cells are dying.

The cells are regenerating.

Genes are breaking down.

Genes are recombinizing.

Whether it's an illness or a curse, once you've completely merged with the Hōgyoku, you can no longer be dragged into hell.

In a short while.

Nearly a century of waiting.

Finally, the feedback has arrived!

"It's been so long since I've felt this healthy," Aoji remarked, as he experienced more changes in his body.

My heartbeat became slower and stronger.

Breathing feels better than ever before.

The spiritual pressure was also increasing at a perceptible rate, even though I wasn't training.

"Besides spiritual pressure, strength, speed, stamina, defense, and vitality."

"Everything, everything, has been improved."

"Completely surpassing my previous self."

As a spiritual being, spiritual pressure is everything to the Grim Reaper. As long as spiritual pressure is increased, everything will be strengthened in the process.

Moreover, Aoshi could clearly feel that his evolution was not yet over. With just a little stimulation, he could evolve to the first fusion stage of the Hogyoku, which is Hogyoku 1!